Where I should start with Leica...?

[Lord Fluff]

Hi all, especially to anyone who knows me from Fred Miranda

I am (primarily) a wedding photographer, trained on 35mm SLRs over 20 years ago, though now fully digital with Canon 1DsII, 5D x2 and a bunch of nice glass.

As I am coming up on 40 I am considering a Leica as a gift from my wife (with me paying for glass), which seems quite a nice idea, as I can imagine it would be something I would keep forever. As I see it now, it would fulfil two main roles -

1) as a a holiday camera, especially in parts of the world where I may not want to lug the 1DsII or may not want the attention / mugging risk.

2) as an occasional supplemental camera at weddings, presumably giving me a very different look than my Canon gear.

What would you guys recommend? I'm not aiming to spend a fortune initially - maybe £600 on the body, then about the same on some glass. I think 35mm and/or 50mm would suit me fine. I'm looking at the Voigtlander lenses which many people seem to rate highly. I take it I need to buy a later model M to get any sort of metering built-in. As it would be a pocketable holiday camera I'm not sold on separate meters...but maybe.

Any and all recommendations are very welcome.

Thanks all

 

[Pherdinand]

two lenses for six hundred pounds means probably second hand, unless you go for the voigtlanders.

 

[Lord Fluff]

I'm not dead set on that budget by the way - and secondhand would be the way to go definitely

 

[Prosaic]

With 20 years of experience it shouldnt be too hard for you figuring out the Leica you want. Operation is basically the same on the M6 / M7 / M8...

 

[cpborello]

I'd go for a Leica M5 ser. no. 134+ (approx. 800-950 US dollars). Canon ltm 50/1.4 (approx. 150 US dollars) or Canon ltm 50/1.5 (a bit more), and a Canon ltm 35/2 (approx. 300 - 400 US dollars). You'll have to get two ltm-M adaptors for about 100 US dollars. A total of 1350-1600 US dollars.

The nice thing about the M5 is the fantastic spot-type meter and the ability to change shutter speeds easily while looking through the viewfinder.

The nice thing about the Canon lenses is that they can give you a vintage look for reasonable prices. I like them particularly for black and white. If you use mostly color film, I may lean more towards the voigtlander offerings.

But that is just me, and many will have different opinions. (Note that I am not a professional photographer, and have only been using rangefinders for about 18 months. However, I researched extensively to build a kit that would suit my preferences).

 

[mfogiel]

Lord Fluff
Leicas are great, but they are obsolete, and the only AE game in town is the M7, which costs too much for what it does.
Get the best camera for taking photographs, and also save a lot of money:
Zeiss Ikon+ 35/2 Biogon will cost you less than a half of the new M7 body and this is the best photographic tool you can find today in the RF world. Go to Robert White and try the ZI along an M7, then you will see what I mean.

 

[jky]

Lord Fluff
Leicas are great, but they are obsolete, and the only AE game in town is the M7, which costs too much for what it does.
Get the best camera for taking photographs, and also save a lot of money:
Zeiss Ikon+ 35/2 Biogon will cost you less than a half of the new M7 body and this is the best photographic tool you can find today in the RF world. Go to Robert White and try the ZI along an M7, then you will see what I mean.

Very good advice... unless you really want the Leica (which of course is not a fault; absolutely nothing wrong with that)...
I enjoyed my brief stint with the Ikon ZM.

 

[ray*j*gun]

Well the best bang for the buck (again if your not in love as many of us are..lol) in my opinion is the Bessa's with any good glass. I have a number of film 35's and that is the most modern and still classic......and most affordable.

 

[alternatve]

I say that if you think logically, you would pick a Bessa or a Zeiss Ikon with CV or Zeiss glass, but I guess logically a small DSLR like a 400D would make more sense as well.

So since we arn't talking about logic now, a Leica makes perfect sense. 🙂

Samuel

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

If it must be a user (and not so much or not at all collection camera) then look around for a good Hexar RF; in my opinion and of those of many others the Hexar is better than the Leica M5, M6 and M7. Not only you have a better user camera, but you have much more money left to buy good Leitz glass! 😉

 

[northpole]

Lord Fluff

I find your question a bit confusing insofar as you initially ask about Leica and subsequently mention Voigtlander - I think it would be helpful if you could clarify whether you want Leica or a rangefinder camera/ lens compatible with Leica.

Peter

 

[SolaresLarrave]

A Leica M6 or M6TTL, and a 35mm lens, which could be the Voigtlander pancake, the Ultron or the Zeiss. Aim for that if your destination is a Leica. Now, if it's a rangefinder camera, the advice above is on the dot.

 

[-kk-]

there's a M2+50 Elmar in the classified right now for £400. Seeing as you're also in the UK, this seems like its worth a peek. You'll need an external meter though.

 

[kipkeston]

M6 w upgraded viewfinder and the zeiss 35 biogon

 

[whitecat]

M6 or Zeiss Ikon might be a consideration for you. I always maintained the viewfinder in the ZI is brighter than the M7, and I have them both.

 

[mackigator]

No one is going to warn him about how much he is going to like it after he gives it to his wife? I say buy two and make one a Hexar RF!

 

[ocean7]

Hey Lord Fluff I am on FM as well!

Body: the Voigtlanders and Ikons are very nice and up to date but I believe that if you are interested in rangefinders you really want the Leica experience. For 600 quids you will find a very nice M6 here in little time. With proper maintenance that is a body that will last decades and if you ever decide that RFs are not for you then you will sell it for the same price. Coming from a DSLR I believe the transition is easier with a metered body, and the M6 is currently the best bang for the buck. No automation though, not even AE, you'll have to set everything manually according to the meter readings.

Lenses: for £300 you can find a 50/2 Summicron. That's a classic. If you decide this will be your only lens you are then left with some change for film/accessories. Or you can get a CV 35/1.7 Ultron, fantastic lens for an excellent price. Or you can save a bit more and try to find a 35/2 Summicron.

Let us know how you are doing!

 

[kevin m]

If you're in in for the tactile pleasure of using a finely made piece of gear, then don't skimp, get an M body. The Hexar RF is a very nice camera, (I've owned two) but it's an orphan now. Two unfruitful calls to Sony service (who now own the Konica-Minolta line of cameras) was all it took for me to sell mine. And the Bessa R bodies, while incredible RF values, simply feel cheap in the hand compared to a Leica, and they're rangefinders aren't in the same league. Spend more and get the M body, then get your savings on the lenses.

There are many lenses from Voigtlander, Zeiss and Konica out there that are every bit as good, by any practical measure, as Leica glass for far less money. There are only one or two cases, in fact, where Leica glass has any advantage, and then you pay thru the nose for it. Both nostrils, in fact. And I say this as someone who owned, and sold, many of the newer Aspherical Leica lenses.

 

[Lord Fluff]

This is all good stuff, thanks.

Yes, this may not be a logical decision! I will look at the Ikon though, but it may be that I fall for the 'thing' of owning and using a Leica. As someone who fires off thousands of digital frames on a regular basis, this is in part an attempt to go back to my roots in PJ photography, and the emotional resonance of a Leica RF camera does hold some sway.

Is there anywhere that compares the relative performance of the various RF lens options? I'm not in it for nth degree sharpness or whatever, but whilst I know the ins and outs of almost every Canon EF lens, the BiogonSummicron etc is all new to me.

Thanks again

 

[ChadHahn]

I would suggest the M6 TTL. Since you are starting out in Leica the fact that the shutter speed dial turns in the opposite way from previous dials won't bother you.

It is the last of the M6s, the dial turns in the direction the exposure arrows point, and the TTL electronics don't add that much height to the camera.

I have never used the TTL flash on my Leica and probably never will, but I am glad that that is the camera I got.